Door operating mechanism



Feb. 6, 1951 MATCHETT 2,540,538

DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM Filed Dec. 2, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet l FIGJ.

INVENTOR.

MAHLON M. MATCH ETT BY M M /m ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 6, 1951 D OR OPERATING MECHANISM Mahlon M. Matchett, Detroit, Mich, assignor, by mesne assignments, to McKee Door Company, Aurora, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application December 2, 1946, Serial No. 713,585

7 Claims.

The present invention relates to door operating mechanism and more particularly to mechanism adapted to operate an overhead tilting door of the type employed on garages.

In accordance with the present invention, motor means are mounted to a stationary part of the garage adjacent the door and are connected to an elongated screw. Secured to the door is a nut threaded to the screw. Upon rotation of this screw the nut is moved along the screw, thus imparting tilting motionto the door in an upward or downward direction depending upon the direction of rotation of the screw.

It is an object of the present invention to provide improved and simplified means for operating an overhead tilting door;

It is a further object of the present inventionto provide screw actuated means for tilting an overhead door in a smooth positive manner.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide door operating mechanism including a motor and mounting means for the motor which permit its use at either side of the door opening.

Other objects and features of the inventionwill become apparent as the description proceeds, especially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a side elevation of the door operating mechanism;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the door operating mechanism;

Figure 3 is an end elevationof the screw housing;

Figure 4 is a front elevation of the screw hous- Figure 5 is an end elevation of a pivotal housing support; and

Figure 6 is a frontelevation of the pivotal housing support.

Referring now to the drawings, the overhead operating arms 24: and 25, respectively. Mounted onthe screw supporting block 2| is an electric.

motor 33 which drives a small pulley 3i. Rigidly connected to the screw 20 is a large pulley 32 whichis adapted to. be driven. from the motor pul- Icy-3.1. byja V'-belt.or' thelike 33L Extending laterally from the door I0 and above the hinge H is an actuating arm 40.

As best seen in FigureZ, the arm 40 terminates at its free end in a reversely bent, U-shaped portion 4|, the arms of which are provided with a pivot pin 42. 'Secured' to the pivot pin 42 is a pivotal yoke 4'3'having arms 44 and 45/ A nut 46' is pivotally supported between the arms 44 and- 45 and is in threaded engagement with the screw 20'. The actuating arm 40 is rigidly connected to the door ID by a plurality of fastening elements indicated'in Figure I at 41.

The block 2| is mounted for swinging movement in a verticalv plane by a pivotal bracket 50 which is carried by a pivot support 5i The support 51 is rigidly secured to a suitable rigidpar-t' of the garage structure adjacent the side of the door. Inthe present instance the support is illustrated as secured to a 2 x 6 spacer 52 extending between upright studdings 53. It will be appreciated, however, that any suitable rigid support may be providedfor the support 5|. As illustrated, the bracket 50. is provided with a pair of arms 55 which span an outwardly projectingportion 56 of the support 5|, and is pivotally connected thereto by a. pivot pin 51.

With the foregoing description in mind, it will be observed that rotation of the screw 20 in a direction to feed the nut 46 upwardly along the" screw will result in downward swinging motion of the garage door and corresponding upward swinging motion of its upper end and the actuating arm 40. The door Ill may be swung from a horizontal to a vertical positiomorif preferred its" closed position may be somewhat inclined from the vertical. Assuming, however, that the door "I swings between horizontal and vertical positions, there are indicated at 20" and 46' the positions of the screw and'nut,respectively,.when the door operating mechanism will be adaptable for" mounting. at either. side of the door or. between. the. dooropenings in. the case-of double garages,.v

structure. has been provided for mounting the motor. 30. andthe block 21- in difierent positions. relative to the bracket 50. This structure is best illustrated in Figures 3, 4,.5 and 6 taken in conjunctionwith the. assembly illustratedin Figure 1.

Theb'lock 24 is; provided witha flange lillhaviiigv openings Bl therein to which the motor 30 is secured by fastening elements indicated at 62 in Figure 1. The arms 24 and 25 are provided with openings 63 and 64, respectively, in which the screw 20 is journalled, bushings 66 being provided in the openings. The arm 25 is in addition provided with four equally spaced tapped recesses 65.

The pivoted bracket 50 is provided with a short cylindrical stud 1c of a size to be received within the opening 64 in the arm 25. It will be appreciated that the lower end of the screw shaft 20 terminates short of the end of the opening 64 so as to leave room therein for the reception of the centering stud 1D. The stud 10 thus serves as a centering and positioning means for assuring proper location of the motor 3!] with respect to the pulley 32. The bracket 50 is in addition provided with a pair of openings ll adapted to receive screws I2 for securing the screw housing 2i thereto. It will be observed that the openings 1! may be registered with any two opposite tapped openings 65 in the screw housing 2|, and accordingly the block 2! may be rigidly secured to the bracket 50 in any one of four positions of adjustment stepped at 90 about the axis of the screw 20. This permits the motor to be positioned at any side of the screw 20 as circumstances require so that the entire structure may be mounted in a relatively restricted space.

The pulleys 3| and 32 are removable from the motor and screw 20, respectively, so that pulleys of different size may be substituted therefor to effect desired changes in driving ratio. Thus, for example, if the door is relatively heavy the driving ratio may be reduced so that its actuation will be relatively slow, whereas if the door I is of a relatively light construction the driving ratio may be increased so that actuation of the door is relatively rapid.

While there is illustrated and described a single preferred embodiment of the. improved door operating mechanism, it will be understood that this full and complete illustration and de scription has been given merely to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, the scope of which is indicated by the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. Door operating mechanism for use with a garage door of the type pivoted for outward swinging movement about a horizontal axis located a short distance below the top of the door, comprising a bracket extending inwardly from the door above the pivot axis thereof, a nut piv otally mounted on the free end of said bracket, a block mounted for swinging movement in a vertical plane at the side of the door, a screw mounted for rotation in said block, projecting upwardly therefrom, and in threaded engagement with said nut, a motor movable with said block, and drive means interconnecting said motor and said screw.

2. Door operating mechanism for use with a garage door of the type pivoted for outward swinging movement about a horizontal axis located a short distance below the top of the door, comprising a bracket extending inwardly from the door above the pivot axis thereof, a nut pivotally mounted on the free end of said bracket, a block mounted for swinging movement in a vertical plane at the side of the door, a screw mounted for rotation in said block, projecting upwardly therefrom, and in threaded engagement with said nut, a motor movable with said block, -drive means" interconnecting said motor 4 and said screw, and mounting means for said motor providing for positioning of said motor in different positions of adjustment about the axis of said screw.

3. Door operating mechanism for use with a garage door of the type pivoted for outward swinging movement about a horizontal axis located a short distance below the top of the door, comprising a bracket extending inwardly from the door above the pivot axis thereof, a nut pivotally mounted on the free end of said bracket, a second bracket mounted for swinging movement in a vertical plane at the side of the door, a block secured to said second bracket, a screw mounted for rotation in said block, projecting upwardly therefrom, and in threaded engagement with said nut, a motor mounted on said block, driving connections between said motor and said screw, and mounting means between said block and said second bracket providing for location of said motor in different positions spaced about the axis of said screw.

4. Door operating mechanism for use with a garage door of the type pivoted for outward swinging movement about a horizontal axis located a short distance below the top of the door, I

a second bracket mounted for swinging movement in a vertical plane at the side of the door,

a block secured to said second bracket, a screw mounted for rotation in said block, projecting upwardly therefrom, and in threaded engagement with said nut, a motor mounted on said block, driving connections between said motor and said screw, and mounting means between said second bracket and said block providing for location of said motor in different positions spaced about the axis of said screw, said mounting means comprising abutting plates on said second bracket and block, one of said plates having a centering recess therein, the other of said plates having a stud received in said recess, said plates having fastening openings therein adapted to register with said block in different positions relative to said second bracket.

5. Adjustabe motor and screw supporting structure for a power door actuator comprising a pivotably mounted bracket having a short I centering stud projecting from one side thereof,

a screw and motor supporting block having an plurality of difierent positions of adjustment located about said stud.

6. Adjustable motor and screw supporting structure for a power door actuator comprising a pivotably mounted bracket having a short centering stud projecting from one side thereof.

a screw and motor supporting block having a pair of spaced arms projecting from one side thereof,

said arms provided with aligned apertures for the reception of one end of a screw shaft, the centering stud extending into the end of one of the openings opposite to the screw shaft, and

fastening means for securing said block to said bracket in any one of a plurality of different positions of adjustment located about said stud. 7. Mounting and drive means for a door actuating screw designed to permit mounting of the screw at either side of single garage doors or between double garage doors with a minimum of interference with door movement, comprising a bracket, means mounting said bracket for pivotal movement, a block having a seat thereon, a motor secured to said seat, a centering stud on said bracket, said block having an opening therein for receiving one end of a screw shaft at one end and the centering stud at the other end, and fastening means for securing said block to said bracket in different positions of adjustment about the axis of said stud.

MAI-ILON M. MATCHETT.

6 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Number UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Elskoff May 9, 1933 Austin May 8, 1934 Lavigne July 19, 1938 Floraday Dec. 29, 1942 Chapman Sept. 10, 1946 

